2026.08.05
Management and Business
Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd.. Started demonstration of a kinetic and grass-life collaborative model for plastic (container and packaging) resource circulation through collaboration among nine companies (Ministry of the Environment contracted project)
- Verification of the feasibility of a co-creation platform for the social implementation of peeling and deinking technologies -
Our consolidated subsidiary Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasumitsu Takebe; hereinafter referred to as "Toyo Seikan") will participate in the Ministry of the Environment's "Survey and Study on the FY2025 Plastic Resource Circulation Strategy" to conduct a model demonstration of dynamic-field collaboration *1. In this project, nine companies involved in flexible packaging resource circulation will participate, and multiple companies will advance the development of peeling and deinking technologies, aiming for the social implementation of the co-creation platform (PF) model, which jointly utilizes equipment and technology, to verify the feasibility and conditions for establishing a co-creation platform (PF) model.
*1 This is an expression that likens economic activity to the circulation of blood: industries that process natural resources to manufacture and distribute products are called 'arterial industries,' while industries responsible for recirculating waste to society through collection, sorting, reuse, regeneration, and proper treatment are called 'venous industries.' Efforts to circulate resources through collaboration among these are called 'arterial and spinal collaboration.'
The recycling of plastics is becoming increasingly important globally from the perspectives of resource depletion, waste reduction, and measures against marine plastic pollution. In Japan, while collection and recycling are progressing based on the Plastic Resource Recycling Strategy and the Plastic Resource Recycling Law, challenges remain, including expanding the amount of plastics collected, establishing advanced recycling technologies, and improving the quality and expanding the use of recycled plastics (hereinafter referred to as "recycled materials").
Expanding the use of recycled materials requires the creation of a system that simultaneously ensures quality, cost competitiveness, and stable supply. In recent years, advanced material recycling technologies such as decolorization and deinking have been developed to address these challenges. However, for the social implementation of these technologies, collaboration among businesses and the establishment of operational systems are also crucial elements, in addition to the technology itself.
Against this backdrop, this demonstration will be conducted as part of the Ministry of the Environment's "Survey and Study on the Plastic Resource Recycling Strategy for FY2025" *2. This demonstration will be overseen by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. and will verify the feasibility of establishing a "co-creation platform (PF) model" in which multiple supply and supply businesses jointly utilize technology and equipment, in collaboration with nine major businesses involved in the resource recycling of plastic containers and packaging (flexible packaging materials).
This demonstration project aims to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of a "collaborative platform model" in which multiple arterial and venous pipeline operators jointly utilize equipment and technology, with a view to the social implementation of peeling and deinking technology. In addition, the peeling and deinking technology used under the platform model will be demonstrated under common conditions, and challenges toward social implementation will be identified.
The distinguishing feature of this demonstration is that it does not aim to evaluate the performance or compare the superiority or inferiority of individual technologies, but rather to verify the feasibility and challenges of a collaborative platform model based on the joint use of equipment and technology, focusing on stripping and deinking technologies developed by multiple companies. Specifically, the following initiatives will be implemented.
We will compare the use of equipment and technology by individual companies with the joint use of equipment and technology under a collaborative platform model, and verify the effects on the quality, cost competitiveness, and supply stability of recycled materials. In addition, we will examine the entire supply chain from collection to recycling, clarifying the roles and collaborations of related businesses and operational challenges for the joint use of equipment and technology.
Regarding the peeling and deinking technologies being developed by multiple companies, we will conduct peeling and deinking treatments and evaluations using multiple common samples, and identify challenges and considerations for collaborative platform development. The common samples will be designed for flexible plastic packaging materials, taking into account market size and the significance of the demonstration, after discussions among the participating companies.
Toyo Seikan As a participating business operator in this demonstration, we will cooperate in providing samples and insights necessary for the demonstration, as well as in evaluating and verifying the results. Additionally, under the collaboration of nine companies, we will participate in examining a co-creation platform (PF) model that contributes to improving the quality of recycled materials, ensuring stable supply, and reducing costs, and will work to clarify its feasibility and operational challenges.
Toyo Seikan is working on developing technologies to improve the quality and utilization of recycled materials to expand the use of recycled plastics in flexible packaging. We believe that collaboration among arterial and vein suppliers is important to achieve improved quality, cost reduction, and stable supply of recycled plastics.
Going forward, we will organize the insights gained from this demonstration, clarify the conditions for establishing the co-creation PF model and operational challenges, and organize key issues for social implementation, commercialization, and horizontal rollout. Furthermore, based on the results of the demonstration, we will contribute to social implementation by examining resource circulation policies aimed at expanding recycled plastic use and concretizing cross-industry initiatives.
*2 Mitsubishi Research Institute begins investigation and discussion on plastic resource circulation strategy (Mitsubishi Research Institute Co., Ltd. news release dated April 21, 2026)
https://www.mri.co.jp/news/press/20260421.html
Since its founding, Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd. has been a leading company dedicated to manufacturing packaging containers based on the importance of packaging, and has continued to supply the world with packaging containers that meet the values and needs of everyone.
Our company's mission is to "contribute to the happiness and prosperity of mankind" through packaging, which is a social infrastructure that supports everyday life.
We will strive to achieve our next leap forward by developing and providing high-value-added products and services that are unique to Toyo Seikan and that will satisfy our customers, thereby contributing to the development of society.